flydubai provides keys to the Kingdom to more travellers

Dubai, UAE, 1 May 2011– flydubai, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, has inaugurated two key new routes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with flights to Riyadh and Jeddah. The new destinations supplement flydubai’s existing network to the country, which includes flights to Gassim, Yanbu and Abha.

Flight FZ833 scheduled to fly four times a week to Jeddah, landed at King Abdulaziz International Airport following its departure from Dubai’s Terminal 2. Daily flight FZ847 to Riyadh, meanwhile, touched down at Riyadh King Khalid International Airport a short time later.

Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai said: “I would like to thank the Saudi authorities for their assistance and dedication in helping to get these new routes off the ground. Saudi has long been a focal point for flydubai so we are delighted to add Riyadh and Jeddah to our growing list of destinations. And with so many people travelling between the UAE and Saudi Arabia every month for business and leisure, we are confident our affordable service will prove popular in the months ahead.”

As part of its plans to diversify its economy, Saudi Arabia is developing a strong travel and tourism sector, with emphasis on niche segments including cultural, eco, and adventure tourism. To this end, it is improving domestic connectivity by linking commercial hubs such as Riyadh and Jeddah to religious centres Makkah and Madinah, as well as developing regions in the North. It has also expanded its hotel offering, to cater to travellers ranging from luxury to budget.

Flights to Riyadh:
Mondays and Fridays: Depart Dubai Terminal 2 at 1945hrs, landing in Riyadh at 2035hrs local time. The return flight will take off at 2120hrs, arriving in Dubai at 0015hrs.

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays: Depart Dubai Terminal 2 at 0755hrs, landing in Riyadh at 0845hrs local time. The return flight will take off at 0930hrs, arriving in Dubai at 1220hrs.

Wednesdays: Depart Dubai Terminal 2 at 1555hrs, landing in Riyadh at 1645hrs local time. The return flight will take off at 1730hrs, arriving in Dubai at 2020hrs.

Flights to Jeddah:
Mondays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays: Depart Dubai Terminal 2 at 0520hrs, arriving in Jeddah at 0715hrs local time.

The return flight will depart Jeddah at 0815hrs, landing back in Dubai at 1205hrs.

A one-way fare to Riyadh from Dubai starts at AED 450, with flights to Jeddah from AED 570. Both fares include one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 7kg and one small laptop bag or hand bag. Fares from Riyadh to Dubai, meanwhile, are priced from AED 410, with flights from Jeddah to Dubai starting at AED 530. Checked baggage starts at AED 50 for 20kgs. A seat with extra legroom costs AED100.

Flights between Dubai and Riyadh/Jeddah can be purchased from flydubai’s website (www.flydubai.com), its call centre (+9714 301 0800) and through travel partners.